I’m going to make three posts here about the approaching change of the decade; two will be looking back, one looking forward. So with >1% of the 2010s remaining, let’s get started…
First, when I look back over the 99% of this decade that I’ve lived through, I wanted to once more acknowledge the biggest accomplishments in my life since January 1, 2010.
These are the things I’m most proud of. So don’t whine and say, “But we became friends this decade, wasn’t that a good thing?” or, “We did that event together a few years ago, I though you had fun doing that?” Yes, yes, your friendship is a good thing, and so many events were fun, but I’m not talking about good or fun here, I’m talking about pride. Taking pride in big accomplishments.
So, here goes. Here are the ten things I am most proud of this decade, in order of pride:
Obviously I have to start with my kids, right? I began this decade with one child; I end it with three. Isla came in to my life in 2010, and Emmett in 2014. They’re great. For a few years, I wondered if Owen was destined to be an only child, and I am so glad it didn’t turn out that way. They’re a good group, the whole lot of them.
When the decade began, my education consisted of an Associate’s degree from Century College, plus four credits from Hamline. As the decade progressed, I slooowly racked up another 65 credits at Hamline and, in the spring of 2017, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree. 4.0 GPA, too. I still can’t believe it. As a friend once phrased it, I really did go far with my education as long as I remember how far behind I started.
In October 2013, my book Deliverance at Hand!: The Redemption of a Devout Jehovah’s Witness was published via Freethought House. Ever since I was in my early teens, I’d 
wanted to publish a book, so this was a longtime in coming. I was very proud to have accomplished it.
In August 2011, I bought a house. My first night sleeping in it was on September 10th of that year. I’d purchased two houses before, but this one is by far my favorite. I’ll say it again: I love my house. I loved it then, and I love it more now that I (with copious assistance from lots of friends) have made tremendous improvements everywhere on the property.
If you’ve read my book (see above), you’ll know that, in 1998, my sister asked me to perform her wedding. Due to a rule-obsessed cult and an insecure uncle, it didn’t happen. But I set it as my goal that I would somehow, one day, perform a wedding ceremony. That day finally came on July 10, 2010. I have since performed 17 weddings, including small 
affairs in people’s living rooms, on docks, and in prisons; and large ceremonies in churches, community centers, and historic sites. I’ve performed weddings between a man and a woman, between two men, and between two women. And, on September 9, 2017, I did perform my sister’s wedding.
6. Toastmasters
In late 2010, I joined Toastmasters. After leaving the JWs, I was actually disappointed that I didn’t have as many speeches to give anymore. My father-in-law suggested I join Toastmasters, but I didn’t have the time or money. But then, a club was started right at my job! I could go during lunch, and I my company would pick up the membership tab! It was perfect. I have since served as the club’s Secretary, VP of Education, and President. I also served a year as District Director, have both hosted and competed in speech competitions, have been a club sponsor, and am currently ranked as Competent Communicator Gold and Competent Leader Silver. The above link takes you to the details of my very first speech in the club.
I am the proud steward of Little Free Library #33249. The library was completed, 
installed, and opened for business on November 29, 2015. Click the link above to read my tale of building it and registering it. And click this link to read how I first discovered Little Free Libraries.
8. Promotion
Well, I’m not big on talking about my work life here, but I guess it’s a big deal I got a promotion in August of 2015. It was my first promotion in over ten years, actually, and I just barely missed receiving any promotions at all in my 30s. (I was promoted about two months before turning 30, and then received this promotion a month after turning 40). The cool thing was, I managed to get the promotion without having yet scored the requisite degree (see #2, above).
9. NCUR
NCUR, or the National Conference of Undergraduate Research, is an annual conference that brings together undergrads from schools all over the country and from all disciplines to present their original research. I was honored to be invited to represent Hamline’s
Here’s Hamline’s group photo from NCUR 2015 in Spokane. I am near the right, at back.
History department not once, not twice, but thrice. This was all the more amazing since, unlike nearly all other students, I was not majoring in that field (I was working on a History minor), nor was I attempting an honors project. In 2015, I was able to attend NCUR in Spokane, Washington. In 2016, I attended in Asheville, North Carolina. And in 2017, I attended in Memphis, Tennessee. I enjoyed delivering my presentations, listening to other presentations, meeting new people, being with my classmates, and seeing the local sites. I had a wonderful experience each time.
10. Nine New States Visited
I have a very long life-goal of stepping foot in all 50 states. In 1998, I visited Texas – which was the 19th state on my list…and there my goal stalled for over 17 years. In fact, here’s a post from 2013 in which I bemoan traveling all over the country, yet not getting to any new states in a long, long time. And here’s a post from 2015 in which I celebrate that I’d ratcheted things up to 24 states. In 2016, I passed the halfway mark when I landed in North Carolina (see #9, above), and I’m still, slowly but surely, ploughing forward. I am now at 28 states. The nine states I visited for the first time in the 2010s are (in order of visit): Washington, Idaho, Utah, Rhode Island, Oregon, North Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Connecticut.